Saint Valentine School

The year's focus is designed to help students arrive at a Catholic interpretation of their life experiences as they explore the fundamentals of the Catholic faith - Jesus Christ, prayer and worship, scripture, morality, and Church.

As a foundation for the future, students cover scientific notation, measurement systems, use of variables, solving linear equations, displays, solving inequalities, graphing equations and inequalities, probability, and proportions.

Using both contemporary and classic literature as examples, students analyze conflict, plot, character, setting, and theme. In addition, they read stories that contain surprise endings, historical settings, symbolism, character sketches, and imagery. Types of literature to which the students are exposed include nonfiction, classical myths, novels, plays, and poetry.

In seventh grade, students augment their knowledge of the parts of speech, capitalization, and punctuation by studying compound sentences with conjunctive adverbs and complex sentences using subordinate conjunctions. Seventh graders also expand their arsenal of imagery techniques to include personification, alliteration, and onomatopoeia.

In addition, students bolster their prewriting strategies, such as clustering and using a diagram, and practice narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive writing. A research paper is also required. Our students now have a handbook to use for guidelines and strategies when writing.

The music series begun in kindergarten and progressing through grade eight emphasizes rhythm, tone color, form, melody, harmony, listening, and music appreciation. During class, students enjoy singing, playing rhythm instruments and musical games, dancing, listening for enjoyment, and listening for analysis.

Children in seventh grade participate in the Christmas Musical.

In the upper grades, emphasis turns toward team games and athletic skills. After warm-up exercises, students practice fitness testing or play soccer, floor hockey, basketball, volleyball, wiffleball, softball, speedball, or other organized games.

Using guidelines established by the Diocese of Pittsburgh, teachers provide career guidance and explain the use of computers on the job. Students also explore data base spreadsheet and math applications and practice using the computer for language arts, math, social studies, and science.

The students take an in depth look at physical science through the use of the scientific methods and discovery.

Seventh graders study the world from the U.S. and Canada to Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Eastern Asia, and the Pacific Region.

Conversation and grammatical construction are the focus this year. For example, students learn present tense composition writing. Culture and geography are also covered.

Students in seventh grade can participate in Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS), English Festival, Geography Bee, Student Council, Forensics, Scouts, band, children's choir, cheerleading, and basketball. They can also become altar servers or enter literary competitions.

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Page last updated on January 14, 2008
St Valentines - 2709 Mesta St - Bethel Park, PA 15102
"So Very Special"